ANIMAL TRAGIC; Man’s Destructive Nature is Leading to More and More Wildlife Facingextinction

By Samantha Booth

THE Yangtze River dolphin has become the first large mammal to become extinct for 50 years.

The announcement was made yesterday after scientists trawling the river failed to find a single specimen of the breed, becoming only the fourth mammal family to disappear in 500 years.

An increase in the number of container ships using the river and dolphins getting tangled in fishermen’s nets are being blamed for the planet’s loss.

Sam Turvey, conservation biologist at the Zoological Society of London, said: "The loss of such a unique and charismatic species is a shocking tragedy.

"This extinction represents the disappearance of a complete branch of the evolutionary tree of life and emphasises we have yet to take full responsibility in our role as planet guardians."

Here we take a look at some of the other animals which are in danger of extinction because of the actions of humans.

CUBAN SOLENODON

CUBA

This primitive insectivore has venomous saliva and was believed to already be extinct.

But in 2003 it was rediscovered, although numbers are still believed to be well below the critical level.

GOLDEN LION TAMARIN

EAST COAST OF BRAZIL

This monkey is more than a little eye-catching with its flaming orange mane, but thanks to deforestation, only two per cent of the Tamarin’s original habitat remains.

Less than 1000 are now thought to be in the wild.

RIVERINE RABBIT

SOUTH AFRICA

Conservationists believe there are fewer than 200 of this rare animal left.

With an incredibly small distribution area, found only in the southern regions of the Karoo Desert of South Africa’s Cape Province, it is one of the world’s most endangered animals as it is yet to have its habitat declared a protective area.

GREY WHALE

PACIFIC OCEAN

One of the most magnificent animals on earth, the Grey Whale managed to survive more than 30 million years on the planet before man came along.

Numbers have slowly increased since they were granted protection from hunting in 1949, but small communities still kill them for food. They are one of the most endangered on the planet.

IBERIAN LYNX

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Many believe the tiger is the world’s most endangered of the world’s 36 species of cats, but it is actually the Iberian Lynx, despite massive conservation efforts in recent years. In fact this cat is on the brink of extinction thanks to loss of habitatand hunting.

Now it is illegal to hunt the animals and their habitats are protected, but there are now thought to be only 100 of them left in the wild.

VIETNAM LEAFNOSED BAT

VIETNAM

Characterised by its large ears, this bat is only known because a single specimen of the species was discovered.

This means it may already be extinct as it was last seen in the wild more than 60 years ago.

JAVAN RHINO

JAVA, INDONESIA AND VIETNAM

One of the rarest and most endangered of the large mammals anywhere in the world, these creatures used to be prolific through south-east Asia.

Now, estimates in 2002 reckoned there were as little as 60 left in the wild and, incredibly, those few are still falling victim to poachers.

ETHIOPIAN WOLF

ETHIOPIA

One of the most endangered species of wolf in the world, there are believed to be as few as 500 left in the wild.

The almost fox-like creature suffered heavily through the spread of rabies and contact with man despite feeding mostly on rodents.

AYE-AYE

MADAGASCAR

WITH its bat-like features and ugly appearance, this tiny primate is believed by the locals of Madagascar to be evil, so they are often killed on sight. Loss of their natural habitat has also contributed to their decline and there are now believed to beas few as 1000 left in the wild.

POLAR BEAR

ARCTIC

THE polar bear may be one of the world’s most iconic animals but experts predict the huge Arctic predator could be extinct within 30 years. Their population is currently estimated at between 22,000 and 24,000, but if global warming and the melting of thepolar ice cap continues at the present rate, those numbers could fall much quicker than expected.

(c) 2007 Daily Record; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.